Tecoma plant named ‘TEC14004’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Tecoma  cultivar named ‘TEC14004’ is disclosed, characterized by a compact growth habit and early flowering. Plants flower abundantly, produces large quantities of small flowers orange-red and yellow-orange flowers. The new variety is an  Tecoma , normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Tecoma fulva.

Variety denomination: ‘TEC14004’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Tecoma cultivar is a product of a controlled breeding program. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Tecoma varieties with a compact plant habit and early flowering for ornamental commercial applications. The cross resulting in this new variety was made in March of 2013. The seed parent is an unpatented, proprietary variety of Tecoma fulva referred to as ‘TEC12021’. The pollen parent is an unnamed, unpatented variety of Tecoma fulva. The selection of this new variety was made at a nursery in Bolzano, Italy during September of 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘TEC14004’ was first performed in November of 2014 at a nursery in Bolzano, Italy. Vegetative terminal cuttings were used. Subsequent propagation has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

Date of first publication Nov. 1, 2019, occurring in Italy. This publication was made directly by the inventor, on his company's website. This disclosure falls within the exception allowed under 102(b)(1).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘TEC14004’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘TEC14004’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘TEC14004’ as a new and distinct Tecoma cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact growth habit.     -   2. Early flowering.     -   3. More flowers than known varieties.     -   4. Smaller flowers than known varieties.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘TEC14004’ are similar to plants of the seed parent variety in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘TEC14004’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. The new variety has a compact growth habit; the seed parent         has a medium/moderate growth habit.     -   2. Flowers of the new variety are smaller than flowers of the         seed parent.     -   3. Plants of the new variety begin flowering earlier than plants         of the seed parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘TEC14004’ are similar to plants of the pollen parent variety in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘TEC14004’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. The new variety produces orange flowers, flowers of the         pollen parent are red.     -   2. Flowers of the new variety are larger than flowers of the         pollen parent.     -   3. Plants of the new variety begin flowering earlier than plants         of the pollen parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘TEC14004’ can be compared to the variety Tecoma ‘Orange Jubilee’, unpatented. These varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics however, ‘TEC14004’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. Plants of the new variety are smaller and more compact than         plants of this comparator.     -   2. Petals of the new variety have an undulating margin not found         on flowers of this comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a plant of ‘TEC14004’ during the Summer grown outdoors, at approximately 2 years old in a 2 gallon pot.

FIG. 2, illustrates a close up view of flowers of ‘TEC14004’.

FIG. 3 illustrates flowering during late Summer.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2015, 6^(th) edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘TEC14004’ plants grown in a polyhouse in Grand Haven, Mich. Measurements were taken during Summer. The plants were about 2.5 years old in 3-gallon containers. The growing temperature ranged from approximately 18° C. to 27° C. during the day and 5° C. to 10° C. at night. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Tecoma fulva ‘TEC14004’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: About 35 days at approximately 18 to 27° C. -   Time to produce a rooted young plant: About 8 weeks at approximately     18 to 27° C.

PLANT

-   Plant type: Perennial flowering shrub. -   Age of plant described: Approximately 1.5 years old. -   Growth habit: Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading. -   Pot size of plant described: 3-gallon pot. -   Height: 58 cm. -   Plant spread: 83 cm. -   Plant vigor: Moderate. -   Branching characteristics: Lateral branching. Pinching required. -   Length of primary lateral branches: Average 50 cm. -   Diameter of lateral branches: 4 mm. -   Quantity of lateral branches: Average 10. -   Stem:     -   -   Stem shape.—Round.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Color.—Near Yellow-Green 144B, oldest branches Grey-Brown             199A with striations 199D.         -   Texture.—Rough, scaly with age.         -   Angle of attachment.—15 to 30 degrees from center of plant. -   Internode length: 4.5 cm on average. -   Root description: Moderately dense, free branching, fibrous. White     in color, not effectively measured with a color chart.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite. Compound. Length: Average 16 cm.             Width: Average 7 cm. Leaflets per leaf: 11. Rachis length:             Average range 7 to 10 cm. Rachis color: Near RHS Green 143C.         -   Leaflets.—Length: Average 5 cm. Width: Average 2 cm. Shape             of blade: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Oblique. Attachment:             Stalked. Margin: Serrate. Leaflet Petiole:5 mm long, 1 mm             wide, colored near Green 143A. Texture of both surfaces:             Glabrous, matte.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B.             Young foliage under side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B. Mature             foliage upper side: Near RHS Green N137B. Mature foliage             under side: Near RHS Green NN 137D.         -   Venation.—Pattern: Pinnate. Color upper side: Near RHS             Yellow-Green N144D. Color under side: Near RHS Yellow-Green             144D.         -   Petiole.—Average Length: 3 to 4 cm. Diameter: 3 to 5 mm.             Petiole color upper side: Near RHS Green 143A. Petiole color             lower side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144D. Petiole Texture             upper side: Smooth. Petiole Texture lower side: Smooth.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Summer. -   Flowering form: Single funnelform flowers in terminal clusters. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Height.—About 8 cm.         -   Width.—About 11 cm.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Average 20. -   Flower:     -   -   Shape.—Trumpet.         -   Length.—5 cm.         -   Diameter.—3.5 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—1 cm.         -   Throat/tube length.—4 cm.         -   Tube base diameter.—3 mm.         -   Aspect.—Outward and somewhat downward.         -   Persistence.—Self-cleaning.         -   Fragrance.—Not observed. -   Bud:     -   -   Shape.—Obovoid.         -   Length.—4.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—1 cm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Orange-red 34B, Orange-red N34A and             Yellow-Orange 21A. -   Petal:     -   -   Petal arrangement.—Single funnelform, separating into             individual petals at tube end.         -   Number of petals per flower.—5.         -   Petal shape.—Ovate.         -   Petal base.—Fused.         -   Margin.—Undulate.         -   Tip shape.—Obtuse.         -   Unfused length.—13 mm.         -   Unfused width.—15 mm.         -   Texture.—Inner: Smooth. Outer: Smooth. -   Color:     -   -   When opening.—Inner surface: Mix of Orange-red 34B,             Orange-red N34A and Yellow-Orange 21A. Outer surface: Mix of             Orange-red 34B, Orange-red N34A and Yellow-Orange 21A.         -   Fully opened.—Inner surface: Mix of Orange-red 34B,             Orange-red N34A and Yellow-Orange 21A. Outer surface: Mix of             Orange-red 34B, Orange-red N34A and Yellow-Orange 21A. -   Tube color: Interior near Yellow-Orange 21A stripes Orange-Red N34A     and 34B. Exterior near Orange-Red N34A and 34B with stripes     Yellow-Orange 21A. -   Sepal:     -   -   Arrangement.—Whorl.         -   Number.—Average 5.         -   Shape.—Deltate.         -   Tip.—Acute.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Length.—2 mm.         -   Width.—1 mm.         -   Texture, upper.—Glabrous.         -   Texture, lower.—Glabrous.         -   Color.—Mature: Inner surface: Near Yellow-Green 145A. Outer             surface: Near Yellow-Green 145A. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—6.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—2 mm.         -   Color.—Near Green 143A.         -   Orientation.—About 45°.         -   Strength.—Good.         -   Texture.—Smooth. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—8 mm.         -   Diameter.—1 mm.         -   Color.—Near Yellow-Green 144B.         -   Orientation.—About 90°.         -   Strength.—Good.         -   Texture.—Smooth.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:     -   -   Number.—Average 5.         -   Filament length.—3.0 cm.         -   Filament color.—Near RHS Greyed-Yellow 162C. -   Anthers:     -   -   Shape.—Bi-lobed.         -   Length.—2 mm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Greyed-Yellow 162C.         -   Pollen color.—Near RHS Greyed-Yellow 162C.         -   Pollen amount.—Scant. -   Pistil:     -   -   Number.—1.         -   Length.—3.0 cm.         -   Style.—Length: 2.0 cm. Color: Near Yellow-Green 154B.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Paddle-shaped. Color: Near Yellow-Green 154B.         -   Ovary color.—Near Yellow-Green 154B.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: Not observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     normal diseases and pests of Tecoma fulva have been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Typical range USDA zones 7 through 11. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Tecoma plant named ‘TEC14004’ as herein illustrated and described. 